ChristiansUnite Forums

America's message to Muslim world

Authors:    Steven A. Cook, Douglas Dillon Fellow
Craig Charney

June 20, 2006
The Boston Globe

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shocked Indonesia during a recent trip. Instead of focusing on familiar US-Indonesia issues—terrorism, business, and military ties—Rice promised funds for an Indonesian version of “Sesame Street.” The Muslim nation saw her unveil America’s newest agent abroad—a big red puppet named Elmo. A local blogger wrote, “This is one export the US can be truly proud of.”

The news from the Muslim world is not that anti-Americanism has grown—that’s old hat. The real news is that America’s image in Muslim lands is starting to get better. Government and corporations are re tooling US public diplomacy in the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, with encouraging results. Still, America’s overseas communication efforts remain paltry compared with private-sector marketing campaigns. Puppet diplomacy can help, but restoring America’s image will take much more.

Although Americans have seen numerous reports of growing anti-Americanism in Arab and Muslim lands since 2001, this is not the whole story. In focus groups conducted for the Council on Foreign Relations in Egypt, Morocco, and Indonesia, people still admired American education, science, economic strength, and law. Moreover, polls show that immediate local issues—education, political change, corruption, and job opportunities—concern most Muslims more than Iraq and the West Bank.

These findings suggest bases for a more effective public diplomacy. America’s message in the Muslim world should be: partners in development and democracy. Since Karen Hughes became under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs last year, she has begun to craft a message about reform and change.

Secretary Rice’s speech to Jakarta intellectuals stressing partnership in education and healthcare was another notable change. The US Agency for International Development has launched a pilot program plugging its good works in Indonesia. The recent earthquake there was followed by widely-reported American relief efforts, too.

Together with America’s generous, well-publicized relief after the devastating 2004 tsunami, these efforts have turned around perceptions of America among Indonesians. The latest poll shows 44 percent are favorable to America and 41 percent unfavorable. That's quite a shift from the 85 percent unfavorable—15 percent favorable ratio found in a 2003 poll.

Realizing that anti-Americanism is bad for business, the private sector is also getting involved. Hughes encouraged US business leaders to contribute $100 million to earthquake-stricken Pakistan, while ExxonMobil, M cDonald’s, Microsoft, and other big firms formed Business for Diplomatic Action, which seeks to rebuild bridges overseas.

This good news is obviously welcome, but much remains to be done. The worldwide US public diplomacy budget is only $350 million— one-fifth of Coke’s global ad spending for its products.

Of course, a new American approach to communicating with Muslims faces obstacles. One cause of Muslim outrage is the gap between America’s democratic rhetoric and the reality of Washington’s support for authoritarian leaders in the Islamic world. Our talk of democracy and reform will not be credible if it is just spin; it must be reflected in deeds, too.

Moreover, there are limits to even the best communication effort. Policy differences over Iraq, and the war on terror (which, to many Muslims, looks like a war on Islam) affect how Egyptians, Pakistanis, and other Muslims see America.

Nevertheless, the evidence indicates that renewed US efforts have started to change Muslim minds about America. Greater success will take more public and private resources, along with tact and creativity. Reaching the Muslim world demands a more serious effort by America to put its best foot forward—even if it is a red and furry one.

America's message to Muslim world (http://www.cfr.org/publication/10932/)

This is my own message.............................  ;D ;D ;D

I heard some arabs and muslims are asking for an apology I humbly offer mine here:

I’m sorry that the last seven times us Americans took up arms and sacrificed the blood of our youth, it was in the defense of muslims( Bosnia, Kosovo, Gulf War 1, Kuwait, etc.).

I’m sorry that no such call for an apology upon the extremists came after 9/11. I’m sorry that all the murders on 9/11 were islamic arabs

I’m sorry that most arabs and muslims have to live in squalor under savage dictatorships. I’m sorry that their leaders squander their wealth. I’m sorry that their governments breed hate for the US in their religious schools, mosques and government-controlled media

I’m sorry that Yasir Arafat was kicked out of every arab country and highjacked the Palestinian "cause. I’m sorry that no other arab country will take in or offer more than a token amount of financial help to those same Palestinians

I’m sorry that the USA has to step in and be the biggest financial supporter of poverty stricken arabs while the insanely wealthy arabs blame the USA for all their problems

I’m sorry that our own left wing elite, our media, and our own brainwashed (from elements of our society like radical professors, CNN and the NY TIMES) masses do not understand any of this. I’m sorry the United Nations scammed the poor people of Iraq out of the food for oil money so they could get rich while common folk suffered

I’m sorry that some arab governments pay the families of homicide bombers upon their death. I'am sorry that those same bombers are brainwashed thinking they will receive 72 virgins in "paradise

I’m sorry that the homicide bombers think pregnant women, babies, children, the elderly and other noncombatant civilians are legitimate targets.

I’m sorry that our troops die to free more arabs from the gang rape rooms and the filling of mass graves of dissidents of their own making.

I’m sorry that muslim extremists have killed more arabs than any other group

I’m sorry that foreign-trained terrorists are trying to seize control of Iraq and return it to a terrorist state. I'm sorry we don't drop a few dozen Daisy cutters on Fallujah

I’m sorry every time terrorists hide they find a convenient "Holy Site". I am sorry they didn't apologize for driving a jet into the World Trade Center that collapsed and severely damaged Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church - one of our Holy Sites.

I am sorry they don’t apologize for flight 93 and 175, the USS Cole, the embassy bombings, the murders and beheadings of Nick Berg and Daniel Pearl, etc..etc!

I am sorry Michael Moore is American; he could feed a medium sized village in Africa.

America will get past this latest absurdity. We will punish those responsible because that is what we do. We hang out our dirty laundry for the entire world to see. We move on. That's one of the reasons we are hated so much. We don't hide this stuff like all those arab countries that are now demanding an apology.

Deep down inside, when most Americans saw this reported in the news, we were like - so what? We lost hundreds and made fun of a few prisoners.

Sure, it was wrong, sure, it dramatically hurts our cause, but until captured we were trying to kill these same prisoners. Now we're supposed to wring our hands because a few humiliated? Our compassion is tempered with the vivid memories of our own people killed, mutilated and burnt amongst a joyous crowd of celebrating Fallujans.

If you want an apology from this American, you're going to have a long wait.  You have a better chance of finding those 72 virgins.

 A big AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!

              Love in Christ, Tina (adding my name to that message too)